The Ritual

Left: Mama and Alex press and roll, me and my monthly cleansing clay mask.

What makes Dr.Hauschka skincare so special is the daily skincare ritual. Everyone has a skincare routine, but with Dr. Hauschka it goes from being five seconds in the shower to five to ten minutes of special time for yourself.
The difference between a routine and a ritual is that routine reinforces continuity while rituals foster connection. In this case, it is a special time to reconnect with yourself before or after a hectic day.
Ironically, it was this aspect that kept me from using the products at first. I was intimidated by the pictures in their catalog of ceramic pitchers, special bowls and a serene environment. I just wanted to wash my face quickly, discreetly in the shower. I first used the cleansing cream in just that way, happily scrubbing away, the exact opposite of what the back of the tube instructed me to do. Needless to say, I was underwhelmed by the Dr. Hauschka products.Taken out of the whole line, the wonderful Cleansing Cream seemed strange and ineffectual. Of course, this was in my early-to-mid twenties, a time when I wasn't exactly taking the best care of myself.
Now I am in my thirties and I have two small children. I welcome the time to focus on me and apply my products to my skin lovingly and mindfully. It's exactly the kind of attention I would lavish on a client when doing a facial but never gave to myself.
And the serene environment? It's my kitchen. I do it even when both of my boys are racing around my legs. I do it even if I'm tired (especially when I'm tired) I started washing my face in the kitchen after I had my twins. My bathroom is connected to the bedroom where they sleep and I was always afraid of waking them. Slowly my skincare products migrated to a shelf in the kitchen, under the spices. Now they are all there, lined up like little soldiers waiting for me to call them into duty. It's actually a much better spot for them, they are not exposed to the steam from my showers. I also really like looking out the kitchen window into my backyard in the mornings as I do my skincare ritual.
I keep all of my skin compresses and headbands in a square plastic box with a lid and my stainless steel facial bowl in the strainer next to the sink.
Here is my interpretation of the Dr. Hauschka daily facial ritual, created by Elisabeth Sigmund. (who, by way is in her nineties and still and still doing the original regimen)

Daily: (a.m)
Step one: Compressing
Boil water. This is more something I do rather than a Hauschka-thing. I boil water in a kettle for several reasons. I can heat the water and not have to get to it immediately, I can do other things first. I also use part of the water for my morning cup of tea. I can use hot water from the tap, but it is a waste of water, waiting for it to be hot enough. So I boil the water in a kettle and pour it over my prepared facial bowl. The bowl is a basic stainless steel bowl that can be found at any Target or Bed, Bath and Beyond-type store. It is commonly used in the kitchen. (how appropriate!)
To the bowl I have added two pumps of lavender bath or one pump of lavender bath and one and a half pumps of lemon bath. I use lemon bath if I am feeling groggy or unfocused or if my skin is feeling particularly oily. I then place my compress into the bowl.
The water that is now in my bowl is clearly too hot to use. If I want to compress immediately then I add cool water until it is the right temperature. It should be very warm, but comfortable on the skin. If I don't want to compress right away then I do other things until the water cools and possibly add more warm water from the kettle.
Compressing is very important. It is the most relaxing part of the regimen and prepares the skin for the deep-pore cleansing benefits of the cleansing cream. It reminds me of watering dry, cracked earth. At first, the water just rolls off of the top of the soil because it is too dry to absorb moisture. But after a minute of being exposed to water it is softened enough to soak in and retain moisture. Sometimes when I first apply the compress my skin feels unreceptive to the moisture, then after a minute I can feel my skin softening.
At Dr. Hauschka they say that after one compress your skin is ready to cleanse but I enjoy it so much that I compress 4-6 times. I feel this really helps soften blackheads.

Step two: Cleansing:
There are technically two cleansers in the line, the creamy cleansing milk and the granular cleansing cream. They are for two specific purposes and not really meant to be interchangeable. The smooth cleansing milk is meant to remove makeup, the cleansing cream is to be used solely if you do not wear makeup and in the a.m if you do.
The cleansing cream is not a scrub. It does feel "scrubby" but isn't meant to be rubbed into the skin. You squeeze about 1/4" of the product into your palm, adding drops of lavender water until a loose paste has formed. You then apply you whole hands to your face, one on each side, wrists pointing down. With cupped hands, gently "press and roll":

Cleansing Cream: What do you mean by “press and roll”?

"Our unique "press and roll" cleansing method goes beyond the surface to stimulate the lymph and awaken your skin. First, dampen your face with warm water and mix 1/2" Cleansing Cream with a few drops of water in your hand. Relax your hands to gently cup the face. Beginning at the forehead, press the product in using your fingers and the tops of your palms, rolling outward from the center and lifting as you roll. The mild suction created helps remove dead cells, dirt and oil. Work downward and outward with this press and roll motion for one to three minutes, then rinse with warm water and finish with a cool splash." (from www.drhauschka.com)

I am quite stingy with my cleansing cream so I only use about 1/4" of product, and that seems to be just as effective. After massaging the cleansing cream into the skin, remove using the lavender-soaked compress. I usually use one side, remove the product starting at the forehead and firmly swiping down the face, then across towards the ears then turn over and use the other side to do the same. This will remove most of the product. I then set the compress on the sink (not back in the bowl) and splash my face about three times with the lavender water to remove any lingering cleansing cream. I then splash my face about three times with cool water to activate the erector pili muscle, squeezing any excess oil from the follicles to the surface of the skin. I then use a recycled paper towel to pat my skin dry (just so it's not dripping wet) then wipe off my sink. I rinse my bowl and my compress with the cool water. The compress is a very smooth, soft organic cotton and the cleansing cream rinses right off. Since the compress is white, you can see if there is any lingering behind. I then wring all excess water out of the compress and hang it to dry on a peg next to my sink. It dries really quickly and is ready to be used again for my p.m regimen.

Step three: Tone, moisturize, and protect
Right now I am using the clarifying toner and I am the opposite of stingy with this. I spray it liberally over my face and neck. I have counted when I am feeling particularly free with my toner and counted up to twenty-five sprays. For everyone else, about five to seven is about right. You can also spray into your palm and press into the skin.
Then you are ready for moisturizer. I use normalizing day oil when my skin is breaking out and either quince day cream or rose day cream light when it is balanced. I am also stingy with this product, a little goes a long way. I squeeze out a pea-size amount into my palm then dab onto my forehead, both cheeks, and chin then pat the rest of the moisturizer onto my entire face and neck.
Once this is absorbed (there will be a thin protective layer but shouldn't feel greasy or too slippery or tacky) I mix the translucent bronze concentrate (a few drops) with the spf 30 sunscreen and apply the same way. If my skin is not breaking out, this eliminates the need for foundation. If it is, then I will use a little concealer and follow up with translucent powder.

Daily: (p.m)
Follow steps one and two as in the a.m regimen. Follow with toner. Go to sleep!

Weekly: (p.m)
Once a week I compress and cleanse like usual, then apply the Rejuvenating Mask and leave on for twenty five minutes. I then compress it off and apply toner.

Monthly: (p.m)
Once a month I compress and use the cleansing clay mask. I usually do this around the time of my period.